Generally a telecommunication fiber optic cable distribution bay or panel is located in the central office of a telephone system or at a remote location near or on the customer's premises. The purpose of the distribution bay or panel is to provide termination and cross-connect interface between fiber optic trunk cables and fiber optic distribution cables that lead to user installations. Frequently such bays include multiple trays that have fiber optic splice, cable storage and/or cross-connection connectors facilities. Normally the trays are maintained in their retracted storage position during normal operation and are pulled or moved outward to an extended position when access is desired for installation, repair, monitoring or reconnection.
Because of the very delicate and exacting nature of optical fibers, it is important that the individual fiber not be overly bent or unduly stressed in the distribution system. Otherwise the transmission effectiveness and efficiency may be compromised. Consequently consideration must be given in the design, construction and operation of the trays so that the fiber optic cable(s) are not subjected to compromising bends or stresses.
Two examples of previous bays are illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. 4,792,203 granted to Calvin G. Nelson et al. on Dec. 20, 1988, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,196 granted to James R. Bylander on Apr. 25, 1989. Both patents describe telecommunication fiber optic distribution bays having multiple trays in which the trays are designed having various channels and fixed guide surfaces for holding the fiber optic cables in fixed orientations. Generally, such arrangements are relatively expensive and require substantial time to place the cables in the proper channel.
One of the principle objects and advantages of the present invention is to provide a much improved telecommunication fiber optic distribution bay or panel that better protects the fiber optic cables and prevents the cables from being compromised with undesirable bends or stresses when the trays are being moved between their retracted positions and their extended positions.
An additional advantage of the present invention is to provide a much improved telecommunication fiber optic distribution bay that is more efficient in the placement and management of the fiber optic cables within the bay.
These and other objectives and advantages of this invention will become apparent upon the careful review of the following description of the drawings and description of a preferred embodiment.